The present invention generally relates to means for preventing and recovering oil spills. More specifically, the present invention relates to an oil transporting vessel on-board means of preventing the escape of oil from a ruptured oil holding tank in combination with means of recovering from the surrounding waters oil that does escape the holding tank.
The huge equipment and environmental costs associated with oil spills on a body of water are widely recognized. No oil transporting vessel on-board means to prevent or recover spilled oil has been identified by the Applicant but various spilled oil recovery devices and systems are known in the prior art. The systems of the prior art generally involve large booms of sorbent material or sorbent devices or structures which are floated on the surface of the contaminated water to contain and/or remove the oil from the water. On-board precautionary measures for emergency response to a potential or actual oil spill are notably absent from the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,566 to Oshima et al. an oil-adsorbing structure is disclosed comprising in combination atactic, noncrystalline polypropylene adsorbent and an adsorbent carrier. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,528 to Yocum a structure for picking up liquid, oily contaminants from the surface of a body of water comprising an outer container of porous material pervious to liquid, oily contaminant and a spongy absorber disposed within the outer container is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,659 to Nyfeldt et al. a spilled oil collecting device which is towed through the water by a vessel is disclosed, the collecting device comprising two upright, floating contaminant guide walls which converge to a contaminant collecting means. U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,657 to Cunningham et al. discloses an oil spill containment and removal device comprising a series of spaced apart cages interconnected by liquid impervious flexible membranes to form an articulated boom. Absorbent buoyant material is disposed in each cage to remove oil from contaminated water that passes therethrough. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,994 to Ayers a floating oil skimming device that is deployable alongside a work boat and towed thereby is disclosed for response to oil spills occurring in remote areas.
As can be understood from the foregoing, there remains a need in the art for oil transporting vessel on-board means to prevent and recover oil spills. On-board systems of oil spill prevention and recovery permit faster response to potential and actual oil spills, particularly in remote areas, and increase the probability of limiting environmental damage.